1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to continuous metal casting and, more particularly, to a starting bar and stowage of said starting bar.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,533 to Joseph Rokop et al. discloses a flexible starting bar for use in a continuous casting machine. While the starting bar of this patent is termed a "Flexible Elongate Starting Member Curved Lengthwise in a Vertical Plane", in reality it is known that the starting member can flex a small amount only in the direction toward its center of curvature; it cannot flex away from the center of curvature.
The flexible starting bar of U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,533 has a short length of rack that is pivotally secured to the outer convex surface of the portion of the bar near one end. The rack and the end portion of the bar coact with a pinion gear of a hoisting mechanism to move the bar upward to, and to keep and hold it in, a stowed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,287 discloses a dummy bar (starting bar) for a continuous casting machine that has a flexible end portion to which is attached a head piece; the remainder of the bar being arcuate and rigid. The bar is stowed in an arcuate trough, and the bar moves into and out of the stowed position by a coaction of powered pinch rolls with the bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,344,844 discloses an arcuate rigid starting bar that is moved into a stowed position by means of a hoisting winch and a wire rope or chain connected to the starting bar.
German Auslegeschrift 1.213.962 discloses a rigid starting bar that is equivalent to the starting bar of U.S. Pat. No. 3,344,844, insofar as the starting bar is hoisted into a stowed position by means of a powered winch with a wire rope or chain secured to one end of the starting bar.